THE COURSE IN STUPID THINKING 101
HOW TO MAKE BAD DECISIONS AND TO AVOID GOOD THINKING
tba
"The stupidest thinking of all is to think that one should not learn to think smartly."
The BuddhaKahuna
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CAN THIS BE "UNTAUGHT"?
The title is mostly a bit of a teaser, rather than a put down of people. Basically, while we can surely use our brains to do a function called thinking, we have a great lack of education in using that function at higher levels to get much, much more benefit out of life.
Basically, I would hope that people elevate their thinking and/or become aware enough at the level to realize that it is worthwhile to devote some time to learn how to utilize the key instrument provided to us to its full potential benefit. Not to just be smart for the pride of being smart, but for the overall benefit it can be to our happiness and satisfaction in how we run our lives. Again, let me state that this is not about the satisfaction of a professional thinker in his having achieved thinking superiority. That has little benefit by itself, if it is not used to be better at life itself.
We've heard lots of stories about the absent-minded professor and the "he's so smart, why is he such an idiot in life?"
Intelligence does not matter one twit if it is not used to further what really matters in one's life. AND it seems reasonable that we would use our intelligence to decide what really does matter in life. (Duh!) [The term "duh!" after a conclusion is not meant to be demeaning, but is meant to indicate how obvious the conclusion is in life and that it doesn't take a rocket scientist to think it!]
Criticism Myth - One of the key elements of smart thinking is to know that there is no reason to criticize other human beings for not doing better than what they actually (in a practical sense) know how to do. This is a key concept for all of life, and especially for relationships and self esteem - consider getting clear on this, by reading No Fault.
Believing what is made up is "truth" - Reality Versus The Made Up World.
Not thinking out the reality of imagined dangers, threats, consequences - So much wasted emotional energy for naught, in worry, anxiety, fear... Threats And "Fear" - Differentiating As To What Is A Real Threat.
Constantly spending time dealing with symptoms and not curing the cause!
Believing you can control another person - And wasting energy trying to do it!! Trying To Correct, Fix And/or Control Others - And Objecting And Demanding and (Accidentally) Harming.
Spending time trying to control the uncontrollable - Stop or reduce, increase payoff in other areas dramatically. Control.
Making up entities inside ourselves that somehow control us - Believing Brain (Summary)
Spending a huge amount of time in "relief" from anxieties, etc. - And using ineffective, harmful, or less effective means and not finding and substituting others. Distractions And "A.D.D" - Eating Up Most Lives.
Not determining what is fact versus supposition or crap and not using logic - One of the stupidest! Critical Thinking - The base, essential skill for all the others.
Not realizing that any negative talk at all is multi-damaging.
Not learning and discerning how things work, especially the mind and body. Really stupid not to learn these, as you're attached to those full-time, so it makes sense to understand how they work and how to work them to get the results you want. How The Mind Works (4 1/2 pages) and The Happy And Unhappy Chemicals - Managing Them For Greater Happiness.
This page is in development, but it will end up, hopefully to be useful in convincing people that life doesn't just happen to them or that there are forces within themselves over which they have no power (eating, not being 'able' to get themselves to do exercise, addictions, etc.) or that they are mystical powers "out there".
Thinking Contents/Links - Read about what is needed in smart thinking.
- The fault is never the person, but the lack of "sufficient knowledge" that is "comprehensive enough to produce a better result." Learn the definition of "sufficient knowledge".
RELEVANT BOOKS
For those who wish to become more knowledgeable about human "thinking".
Thinking, Fast And Slow, Daniel Kahneman.
